Link to an awesome youtube video Joycy, from my program, made. Sorry you have to copy/paste, I can't figure out how to make clickable links right now!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gpeUFzEvoTs&feature=plcp
Monday, June 25, 2012
Sunday, June 24, 2012
Throwback to May 22-June 5th: London whirlwind tour and the SGU Kenya Tropical Medicine Selective
Sunday, May 20th - drive with Mom to Trumbull, then switch to Dad's car, then arrive at JFK for a 10pm flight. Board plane. Attempt to sleep. Fail. Attempt again. Minor success. Monday, May 21st - Arrive in London with Virgin Atlantic eye mask around my neck to meet up with Sheneka, Christine, and Chris to amble through customs and regroup for a 1 day London extravaganza before our 10pm departure to Nairobi.
London tour includes: the TUBE! yes!!, Big Ben, walking along the Thames to find a pub (thanks to tour guide Renae, Sheneka's friend who met up with us) and fill up on fish and chips, cheese sandwiches, Guinness (me), Pimms (Chris), and cider (everyone else), a Prince Philip sighting by Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey and climbing on lions in a famous square that starts with T that I can't remember the name of (follow up edit: Trafalgar), photos in a urine-reaking authentic red phone booth, and finally Hamleys Toy Store to leave us all with big smiles after our inner kids were let out for a few minutes.
Tube ride back to the airport...and Nairobi here we come!
Tuesday, May 22nd - AMREF welcome, tours and lectures about the Flying Doctors, Schisto, and cultural information. Memories vague due to jet lag-induced narcolepsy the entire day. Good first tastes of ugali, chapati and some other Kenyan foods. Check in at the Comfort Hotel and settling in with roomie Angela for some much needed rest under our mosquito net draped beds.
Wednesday, May 23rd - Some yoga in my room and a breakfast of cereal, toast, and tea, and we set out for KEMRI, which is kind of like the NIH of Nairobi. In our still fresh and clean white coats (they would be very orange-brown by the end!), our group toured the labs and learned about the main areas of research happening there. I loved seeing the malaria labs and found it very interesting to hear about the traditional medicines and plants that they are utilizing to manufacture chemotherapy options. We even got to see many of the plants and products they have concocted. The view of a rotavirus sample with the Scanning Electron Microscope was interesting as well as the discussion about the impact of Hepatitis in the country. Overall, I enjoyed seeing the commitment to research of diseases important in the region and comparing the facilities and approaches to my experience at Children's and in Doctor Zeichner's lab.
KEMRI was followed up with lunch and more lectures at AMREF and then a delicious dinner at Carnivore Restaurant, which is inexplicable. Think of the Animal Kingdom in Disney World, times 10, and REAL. There are more types of meat than you could ever imagine being roasted on a huge spicket when you walk in, and the waiters never stop coming by your dish with huge metal spears to offer you a taste of something new - ostrich, crocodile, and ox balls are the most memorable. Definitely check it out if you are ever there. Even vegetarians can eat til their hearts' content.
http://www.tamarind.co.ke/carnivore
Thursday, May 24th - Woke up very excited to finally get to do a morning run in Nairobi with the proper prep: security guard's instructions on where to go and the (voluntary?!) company of Bilal and Sharon. It felt so good to move my legs before the sun came up, and it was fun to see some locals out running too. Next it was giraffe time, and we took the big bus to the Giraffe Center. It was so nice! I don't know what I expected, but I was really impressed by the place. We all got to feed them (some people form their own mouths...awesome), and then we had a little lesson about the different types of giraffes, the history of the place, and the life of a giraffe. Plus, we passed around a huge giraffe tibia, which was clearly a highlight. It was massive in case you are wondering! The names of the giraffes there are: Kelly, Lynne, Helen, Abraham, and Ed. Angela and I decided that Ed was the special one, for obvious reasons. After the giraffes and a slight bus-waiting delay (the usual 30 minute minimum!), we went quickly to the Elephant Sanctuary, which was also a great treat. Baby elephants playing in the mud provide endless smiles and entertainment. Wild boars and warthogs were also around, and there was a big rhino that I liked a lot! You can also adopt or sponsor the animals there, and I really wanted to "adopt" Solio the Rhino baby. Maybe for Christmas! This is the place: http://www.sheldrickwildlifetrust.org/index.asp
A long bus ride, welcome speech from our program organizers, and dinner with more chapati at our new hotel in Makuweni, southeast of Nairobi, ended our third day.
Friday, May 25th - Big Day. First, what is my favorite thing to do upon waking up in a brand new place? Go for an exploration run. Clearly. I had attempted to set up a plan with 4 others, but alas, only one woke up in time. Drew and I set out on dirt paths in some really pretty countryside, and it felt great to be free from Nairobi's chaos immediately. The air seemed thin, and we were huffing and puffing more than expected (blaming the altitude, obviously!), but it was a great way to start the day. Eggs for breakfast (and watermelon, which was the first fruit I'd had in awhile and was very excited!), and then we went to the district hospital. My group started by learning about the HIV clinic, and then we went on to the Maternity Health Clinic (MHC), where there were some great initiatives. For example, there are 15 minute classes daily for local women to come learn about things like breastfeeding, prenatal nutrition, etc. We asked some questions about malaria and pregnancy, vaccination practices in Kenya, ultrasound, HIV mothers, etc. and the nurses working there were very forthcoming and interesting. There was also a definite interest on their parts in us spreading the word about what they are doing there and what resources they need most.
After the HIV and MHC clinics, my group was scooped up by an excellent pediatrician, and the real excitement and interesting stuff began as he took us to see all the different departments. We visited numerous patients and saw how the physicians there deal with things like frequent dehydration and malnutrition alongside any other diseases (for example: dehydrated babies often need to get an IV cannula in their heads since veins are too tiny elsewhere). We also talked to the general surgeon, visited the brand new premies in their (shared) incubators, and saw an epileptic child mid-seizure among other things. I felt really grateful to have the opportunity to have access and firsthand exposure to these patients, but also to obtain information from the doctors at the same time. I found myself comparing this experience to the hospitals in Niger where I volunteered in college, and there were many similarities overall, but the baseline level of health was better here (Niger was also recovering from famine when I was there). There were also many fewer cases of malaria here, but seemingly more cases of TB. Of course, I don't know the details of which patients are sent to which hospitals in the area, etc., but these were my general impressions.
After this really exciting and interesting morning, we all boarded the bus with our passion for medicine reignited and got ready for a short drive and break before our next stop: an AMREF school visit to deworm and check compliance with new health promotion initiatives.
The arrival at the school was incredible. All the kids in their kelly green and pink uniforms were waiting for us at the entrance to their school "driveway" and were singing at full volume as we pulled in. Their energy and smiles were completely contagious and we all climbed off the bus eager and excited to meet and interact (and deworm) the kids.
The school has made many strides to comply with AMREF, and their deworming and health/sanitation initiatives were on full display for us. We got to see their new "VIP" latrine, a homemade museum displaying all their knowledge about healthy food, exercise, sanitation, disease, and ecology, and then we planted three new trees on their property. I was one of the three in our group chosen to plant, and the tree is now named after me! I hope I get to visit it someday again in the future. :)
Lunch was huge pots of rice and beans served to the lines and lines of kids for this special day (usually they bring lunch with them in plastic containers from home - picture old Marshmallow fluff tubs or something of that size used as lunch boxes). Proper hand washing was stressed, and the kids all sat around to eat and we were able to chat with them and play some games. I could have hung out with them for hours, even with my minimal Swahili competence. Their genuine joy and smiles were so uplifting.
Then, to top it all off, there was a great talent show at the end of our visit, with funny skits and BEAUTIFUL singing and dancing. The talent, joy and sense of community at that school was so humbling and really made me reflect a lot about my own life and place in this world. So many of these kids and teachers have so little, yet they walk hours daily in the name of education and to do the best they can with what they have. The students' discipline and focus was certainly better than that of any of the seventh graders I taught in Phoenix, and I wished so badly that I could do so much more for them. However, having learned from experience that this 'save the world' mentality is often more selfish than productive, I tried to just enjoy and absorb the experience and appreciate how many really great things were happening--and there are many.
Finally, as we climbed on top of the bus for photos, the clouds and thunder rolled in. We gave away some soccer balls (thanks Abby!), frisbees and other toys to the school as we pulled out the driveway. This was easily my favorite day so far, and I went to sleep with my spirit feeling very full.
Saturday, May 26th - Best day (Friday at the school) followed up by worst day :( Food poisoning had me up all night and Saturday was spent feeling pretty weak and sleeping a LOT. While I was really sad to miss a fun, community health day and ride bikes to visit local homes and families, I was VERY grateful that the symptoms only lasted one full day. And, everyone was really nice and accommodating. Sprite + toast + sleep --> fast recovery! (No more eating salad...maybe ever...)
Sunday, May 27th - We woke up early on Sunday, around 4:30am, for a pre sunrise start to our drive to Amboseli Game Park. This first animal drive was a nice taste for what would come in the future, and we saw some great elephants, hippos, ostriches, and crazy birds (it's easy to overlook the birds since the bigger animals are so cool, but they really are some of the most gorgeous, unique birds most people will ever see). Before the drive started, we were greeted (accosted?!) by several Masai people selling all of their gorgeous beaded jewelry...and most of us were unable to contain our excitement for our first opportunity to buy authentic souvenirs. Needless to say, I ended up with many more bracelets and necklaces than anticipated. They'll all find a good home though, I have no doubt.
After the game drive, we were able to visit the Masai village and they gave us an excellent show with traditional dancing to start. We then went into the (very fly infested!) village area and saw how they make fire, learned about their traditional medicines and medical practices, and visited their mud houses. It was really interesting to learn all about the Masai, and, since we were unable to get to Entasopia due to massive flooding, we were all really happy to have this immersion and cultural experience. We ended the visit by seeing the schoolhouse, a tin building with benches inside and adorable children eager to recite their alphabet and numbers in English for us.
After this visit, with our brains and memory cards full (and our wallets a little lighter), we got back on the bus to get to Kibwezi by nighttime. This would be our new home until Wednesday. On that first night, after dinner and settling in to our new place (half of us were in a VERY interesting separate building - imagine juvenile detention center turned into a hotel), we very sleepily listened to a powerpoint lecture about ultrasound. We were briefed on the techniques that we would be helping with and observing in the local hospital for the next few days. Patients would come from far away to be seen and have free ultrasounds performed by the experts who flew in with Dr. Macpherson.
Exhaustion. Today was certainly interesting, humbling, and eye-opening. Oh, and sleep inducing.
Monday, May 28th - In Kibwezi, Bilal and I got up with the 5:30 am morning prayer call and ran on the dirt "track" that the security guard led us to for our first running attempt in a new place. The next days we would venture out more, but this is where we stayed today. It was a great way to wake up, and we enjoyed the fresh air, some local kids cheering us on, and the security guard's big smile and vote of appreciation! Then we all put on our white coats to go to Makindu Hospital, where we'd be stationed for the next 2 and a half days.
We were able to see so much in our small groups. We took turns going on rounds with the doctor on call, reading through charts in wards with nurses, and being trained and working in the ultrasound clinic. Some of the most memorable things I learned about and saw on that first day: an abdominal aneurysm in a woman with hydatid cysts in her liver (unrelated to each other), several fractures and their method of using traction (ropes with bags of rocks to keep the bones separated), degloving and other injuries requiring skin grafts, a woman who had complications from Diabetes mainly because there was no insulin available to her (the pharmacy was out of stock...crazy to think of how frustrating such resource problems must be to doctors and patients), two men in decerebrate (thanks Neuro class for helping me recognize) posturing following stroke, many, many TB patients, and an AWESOME live C-section in the operating theater.
In the afternoon on Monday, some of us then went to do a community project with AMREF and helped the landscaping and progress of a new dispensary being built. Some people painted, and I spent the entire time lined up with local people in a huge line passing red clay bricks from one end to the other. Chanted songs kept the rhythm and kept us motivated. The fact that 2 people over the age of 75 were on either side of me (Alice on my right side was hilarious and tried to set me up with her youngest son WHILE we passed bricks). My two older neighbors had no signs of fatigue the entire time, which obviously, combined with my pride, kept me from stopping when my arms and back started screaming for relief. The blisters that surfaced only 20 minutes after we finished made me feel sheepish for my soft hands, but also appreciate their strength and resilience. Humbling yet again.
Tuesday, May 29th - The second day in Kibwezi Bilal and I ran off the track and went down a long road where lots of school children were walking. It was a beautiful sunrise, and many kids came and ran with us for a few steps, which was so much fun. Bilal and I were definitely wishing we knew more Swahili, but we tried and our attempts and accents were usually met with smiles and lots of laughter.
This day was my group's turn in the ultrasound clinic, and for the first hour or so we just saw several cases of "abdominal discomfort" without too many obvious causes - although the diet high in starch, which is the cheapest and most accessible food, does lead to a lot of chronic constipation, which we learned brings many people in. Unfortunately, the solution to 'eat more vegetables' is not always feasible. We also saw a woman with what looked to be filariasis, but turned out to be silicosis, according to Dr. Macpherson. Definitely interesting. We saw several pregnant women as well, and we learned that the technicians purposefully do not reveal the sex of the child even if they can tell because often times hearing the "wrong" gender will anger patients or husbands and lead to abuse or abortion attempts.
The last things we did before lunch was spend some time with the X-ray technician, who was really quirky and informative and could probably diagnose ever single patient on his own. All the X-rays are developed in an old-fashioned photo lab (think of high school photo class for the smell and ambience). We saw several fractures and a couple cases of TB.
Some Cokes and a late lunch and then we headed out to do another community project for the afternoon. This time, we were in a more remote area with gorgeous, scenery: cornfields, small clusters of huts, mango trees and vegetable gardens, and a huge blue sky with puffy clouds. The main tasks here were weighing children (on huge spring scales - think of the vegetable weighing baskets in the supermarket!), measuring arm circumference and height, passing out Albendazole and Vitamin A, and dancing with the children :) There was also a 'private' building where rice was being passed out to the older citizens so that they could get access to the supplies without having to fight for it from the younger, stronger people.
Dinner, Tuskers, charades, and bed finished day 2 in Kibwezi.
Wednesday, May 30th - Last day in Kibwezi. Best run of the week with even more kids joining us, lots of energy, and some fun attempts to carry the kids' jerry cans for them - so impressive that they run with those full every day in their little arms. On the last day at the hospital I was able to see some Ob/Gyn exams as well as a really intense snake bite on a young child that had to be cleaned out and packed. I also went around the female ward and pediatrics ward again to see what had changed in the patients from the first day. It was nice to have that familiarity about the cases that came with the fact that we had spent 3 consecutive days in one place. Makindu is definitely a very good and improving hospital, and, although it was the same "level" as the one we saw in Nairobi, it had a much better atmosphere.
Back on the bus to start our drive back to Nairobi. Lunch at Hunter's Lodge - it took roughly 1,000 years to get our food - but there was a gigantic (dinosaur size, seriously) pelican and a monkey with very bright blue anatomical parts to keep our attention for at least a little while. The rest of the bus ride to Nairobi was long but we were all pretty tired so it was also appreciated. In addition, our fanciest dinner thus far, at a wonderful Indian place called Haandi's. It was SO GOOD. We all ate our weight in delicious food that night and the prolonged lunch and bus ride were easily forgotten. With our trip to Masai Mara starting the next day, we all relaxed with our full bellies and got excited for the upcoming adventures.
Thursday, May 31st - Driving to Wilson airport for our flights on tiny planes to get to the Masai Mara. I was given a red laminated 'boarding pass' and waited with the blue, black, and yellow groups in the tiny gate area while we watched the small planes take off. I personally love small planes, and the short, 45 minute ride was a lot of fun, and seeing an elephant from a plane is pretty awesome.
We were greeted by Masai drivers and Intrepids safari vehicles to take us immediately on a game drive. Instantly wowed by elephants and insanely gorgeous expanses, they certainly know what they're doing when they arrange the itinerary and sweep you away to the game drive right away. Amazing. The drive was followed up by a delicious buffet of anything you could imagine to eat, and then we were taken to our luxury tent accommodations.
Angela and I shared tent #3, and the porch overlooking the river, the interior decor of dark wood and white linens, the plush bedspread, the amazing sink/shower area took our breath away. We were so excited we couldn't believe how lucky we were to end up in this security hideaway.
Our 3:30pm game drive gave us hippos, lions, gazelles, topi, cape buffalos, guinea fowl, hyenas (the Whitney Houston of lions...b/c a hyena is like a druggie looking lion to me!), gazelles, impalas, ostriches and baboons to stare at and admire from very, very close. An amazing sunset, ton of photos, many thanks to our driver Raphael, and a final buffalo stampede to watch ended the day perfectly. It was hard to imagine how anything could top today's excursion. Dinner with Masai dancers and a short visit to the bonfire (it was cold there!), and off to bed in our super fancy tent. Hot water bottles provided for our comfort...blissful.
Friday, June 1st - An early wake up by Gideon for our 6:30am game drive. Definitely chilly and too early for our liking, but the coffee, hot chocolate and cookies delivered with the "get up now!" made it much more tolerable. I could get used to this treatment. Some yoga on the porch to wake my body up and then I went with Angela and our full thermoses to meet Raphael and the rest of our group to head out. Big blankets were provided (they think of everything), and we saw the elusive black rhino and some giraffes before enjoying a very fancy 'bush breakfast'. Now, I imagined a bush breakfast as a rustic, cook over a kerosine stove/camping style sort of thing. Um, not really. Imagine an all-star buffet with hot food, cereal, fresh fruit and coffee set up in the grass near a river with table clothed tables, chefs in chef hats, and a very fancy bush toilet (= plushest port-o-potty I've ever experienced) set up not to far away for your convenience. Hardly roughing it. Feeling very spoiled!
Drove back to the resort after this to relax and Bilal and I decided to go on a nature walk for the middle of the day. It was just the two of us, a Masai man, Joseph, leading us and George, the man with a gun to protect us. Getting out of the vehicles after we had been so warned not to get out, had seen the lions in person, and had imagined how easy it would be to be devoured by these huge creatures, was SLIGHTLY disconcerting. And George's gun was small. Trust. We must trust them...!
The walk was great though, and I'm so glad we decided to do it. We got some great firsthand information about the local plants, saw a dead vulture in a tree (Joseph said from a jaguar!), walked upon a herd of zebras, and saw numerous gazelles and topi from a close proximity. It was also great to stretch our legs and enjoy the fresh air from a different perspective.
Some random interesting facts I learned: Masai don't eat fish - they are "snakes of the river", but they live off of milk; many runners in Kenya come from the area called El Doret.
On our 3:30 game drive, we had a SECOND rhino sighting (unheard of they said!), and it rained down on us for about 20 minutes, but it was actually a nice change of pace and Raphael valiantly got out among the lions to tie down the sides and keep the rain from coming into the car and soaking us. The Tuskers we had packed took the edge off as well! Some crocodiles and a baby hippo with a fresh bite on him in the river provided more entertainment, and we headed back for dinner and Angela and I enjoyed an amazing massage in the "massage tent" before bed.
Saturday, June 2nd - Today was our last day of the selective, and we started with another early 6:30 am game drive that took us to a new area, where we saw elands and gorgeous, rolling plains. We also saw more elephants as well, which I can't get enough of - they're such crazy looking animals if you really think about it! A huge, final buffet breakfast followed and then some of us decided to do the 10:30 game drive with a new driver, James. I was debating because we had already done so many drives, but all of us who went were given such a treat. We saw a cheetah! The one animal that we all wanted to see so badly but that no one had found yet. This meant that we had seen all of the Big Five, and we even saw this cheetah climb onto the jeeps' roofs and people took pictures from inches away. We patiently waited for awhile because we thought it might go for a kill, but eventually hot sun and grumbling stomachs pushed us to return to the main resort area. That cheetah was definitely the highlight of the Mara for me. What a grand finale.
A nap and lunch and then we boarded the small planes to get back to Nairobi. So hard to leave this exotic place - I hope I can return some day (and get Dr. Macpherson's 'special price' again, obviously!). Back in Nairobi, the group split and we said our goodbyes, and those of us staying in Kenya for a few more days settled in at the Comfort Hotel once again.
For the next few days, Christine, Sheneka, Joycy, and I did some final Nairobi sightseeing, including the National Museum, the Snake Park (chameleons, pythons, crocodiles, you name it), and the Holy Family Minor Basilica. We also spent remaining shillings at another Masai Market place and at Java Coffee House, which had amazing cappuccinos and 70s, 80s, and 90s music to keep us very happy. Finally, we enjoyed a very comfortable and fancy night at the Hilton care of Christine's mom, and took our respective crack-of-dawn flights out of Kenya on Tuesday. For me - on to Addis Ababa to meet Kwazo and continue the adventuring.
Kenya, you were very good to me!
London tour includes: the TUBE! yes!!, Big Ben, walking along the Thames to find a pub (thanks to tour guide Renae, Sheneka's friend who met up with us) and fill up on fish and chips, cheese sandwiches, Guinness (me), Pimms (Chris), and cider (everyone else), a Prince Philip sighting by Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey and climbing on lions in a famous square that starts with T that I can't remember the name of (follow up edit: Trafalgar), photos in a urine-reaking authentic red phone booth, and finally Hamleys Toy Store to leave us all with big smiles after our inner kids were let out for a few minutes.
Tube ride back to the airport...and Nairobi here we come!
Tuesday, May 22nd - AMREF welcome, tours and lectures about the Flying Doctors, Schisto, and cultural information. Memories vague due to jet lag-induced narcolepsy the entire day. Good first tastes of ugali, chapati and some other Kenyan foods. Check in at the Comfort Hotel and settling in with roomie Angela for some much needed rest under our mosquito net draped beds.
Wednesday, May 23rd - Some yoga in my room and a breakfast of cereal, toast, and tea, and we set out for KEMRI, which is kind of like the NIH of Nairobi. In our still fresh and clean white coats (they would be very orange-brown by the end!), our group toured the labs and learned about the main areas of research happening there. I loved seeing the malaria labs and found it very interesting to hear about the traditional medicines and plants that they are utilizing to manufacture chemotherapy options. We even got to see many of the plants and products they have concocted. The view of a rotavirus sample with the Scanning Electron Microscope was interesting as well as the discussion about the impact of Hepatitis in the country. Overall, I enjoyed seeing the commitment to research of diseases important in the region and comparing the facilities and approaches to my experience at Children's and in Doctor Zeichner's lab.
KEMRI was followed up with lunch and more lectures at AMREF and then a delicious dinner at Carnivore Restaurant, which is inexplicable. Think of the Animal Kingdom in Disney World, times 10, and REAL. There are more types of meat than you could ever imagine being roasted on a huge spicket when you walk in, and the waiters never stop coming by your dish with huge metal spears to offer you a taste of something new - ostrich, crocodile, and ox balls are the most memorable. Definitely check it out if you are ever there. Even vegetarians can eat til their hearts' content.
http://www.tamarind.co.ke/carnivore
Thursday, May 24th - Woke up very excited to finally get to do a morning run in Nairobi with the proper prep: security guard's instructions on where to go and the (voluntary?!) company of Bilal and Sharon. It felt so good to move my legs before the sun came up, and it was fun to see some locals out running too. Next it was giraffe time, and we took the big bus to the Giraffe Center. It was so nice! I don't know what I expected, but I was really impressed by the place. We all got to feed them (some people form their own mouths...awesome), and then we had a little lesson about the different types of giraffes, the history of the place, and the life of a giraffe. Plus, we passed around a huge giraffe tibia, which was clearly a highlight. It was massive in case you are wondering! The names of the giraffes there are: Kelly, Lynne, Helen, Abraham, and Ed. Angela and I decided that Ed was the special one, for obvious reasons. After the giraffes and a slight bus-waiting delay (the usual 30 minute minimum!), we went quickly to the Elephant Sanctuary, which was also a great treat. Baby elephants playing in the mud provide endless smiles and entertainment. Wild boars and warthogs were also around, and there was a big rhino that I liked a lot! You can also adopt or sponsor the animals there, and I really wanted to "adopt" Solio the Rhino baby. Maybe for Christmas! This is the place: http://www.sheldrickwildlifetrust.org/index.asp
A long bus ride, welcome speech from our program organizers, and dinner with more chapati at our new hotel in Makuweni, southeast of Nairobi, ended our third day.
Friday, May 25th - Big Day. First, what is my favorite thing to do upon waking up in a brand new place? Go for an exploration run. Clearly. I had attempted to set up a plan with 4 others, but alas, only one woke up in time. Drew and I set out on dirt paths in some really pretty countryside, and it felt great to be free from Nairobi's chaos immediately. The air seemed thin, and we were huffing and puffing more than expected (blaming the altitude, obviously!), but it was a great way to start the day. Eggs for breakfast (and watermelon, which was the first fruit I'd had in awhile and was very excited!), and then we went to the district hospital. My group started by learning about the HIV clinic, and then we went on to the Maternity Health Clinic (MHC), where there were some great initiatives. For example, there are 15 minute classes daily for local women to come learn about things like breastfeeding, prenatal nutrition, etc. We asked some questions about malaria and pregnancy, vaccination practices in Kenya, ultrasound, HIV mothers, etc. and the nurses working there were very forthcoming and interesting. There was also a definite interest on their parts in us spreading the word about what they are doing there and what resources they need most.
After the HIV and MHC clinics, my group was scooped up by an excellent pediatrician, and the real excitement and interesting stuff began as he took us to see all the different departments. We visited numerous patients and saw how the physicians there deal with things like frequent dehydration and malnutrition alongside any other diseases (for example: dehydrated babies often need to get an IV cannula in their heads since veins are too tiny elsewhere). We also talked to the general surgeon, visited the brand new premies in their (shared) incubators, and saw an epileptic child mid-seizure among other things. I felt really grateful to have the opportunity to have access and firsthand exposure to these patients, but also to obtain information from the doctors at the same time. I found myself comparing this experience to the hospitals in Niger where I volunteered in college, and there were many similarities overall, but the baseline level of health was better here (Niger was also recovering from famine when I was there). There were also many fewer cases of malaria here, but seemingly more cases of TB. Of course, I don't know the details of which patients are sent to which hospitals in the area, etc., but these were my general impressions.
After this really exciting and interesting morning, we all boarded the bus with our passion for medicine reignited and got ready for a short drive and break before our next stop: an AMREF school visit to deworm and check compliance with new health promotion initiatives.
The arrival at the school was incredible. All the kids in their kelly green and pink uniforms were waiting for us at the entrance to their school "driveway" and were singing at full volume as we pulled in. Their energy and smiles were completely contagious and we all climbed off the bus eager and excited to meet and interact (and deworm) the kids.
The school has made many strides to comply with AMREF, and their deworming and health/sanitation initiatives were on full display for us. We got to see their new "VIP" latrine, a homemade museum displaying all their knowledge about healthy food, exercise, sanitation, disease, and ecology, and then we planted three new trees on their property. I was one of the three in our group chosen to plant, and the tree is now named after me! I hope I get to visit it someday again in the future. :)
Lunch was huge pots of rice and beans served to the lines and lines of kids for this special day (usually they bring lunch with them in plastic containers from home - picture old Marshmallow fluff tubs or something of that size used as lunch boxes). Proper hand washing was stressed, and the kids all sat around to eat and we were able to chat with them and play some games. I could have hung out with them for hours, even with my minimal Swahili competence. Their genuine joy and smiles were so uplifting.
Then, to top it all off, there was a great talent show at the end of our visit, with funny skits and BEAUTIFUL singing and dancing. The talent, joy and sense of community at that school was so humbling and really made me reflect a lot about my own life and place in this world. So many of these kids and teachers have so little, yet they walk hours daily in the name of education and to do the best they can with what they have. The students' discipline and focus was certainly better than that of any of the seventh graders I taught in Phoenix, and I wished so badly that I could do so much more for them. However, having learned from experience that this 'save the world' mentality is often more selfish than productive, I tried to just enjoy and absorb the experience and appreciate how many really great things were happening--and there are many.
Finally, as we climbed on top of the bus for photos, the clouds and thunder rolled in. We gave away some soccer balls (thanks Abby!), frisbees and other toys to the school as we pulled out the driveway. This was easily my favorite day so far, and I went to sleep with my spirit feeling very full.
Saturday, May 26th - Best day (Friday at the school) followed up by worst day :( Food poisoning had me up all night and Saturday was spent feeling pretty weak and sleeping a LOT. While I was really sad to miss a fun, community health day and ride bikes to visit local homes and families, I was VERY grateful that the symptoms only lasted one full day. And, everyone was really nice and accommodating. Sprite + toast + sleep --> fast recovery! (No more eating salad...maybe ever...)
Sunday, May 27th - We woke up early on Sunday, around 4:30am, for a pre sunrise start to our drive to Amboseli Game Park. This first animal drive was a nice taste for what would come in the future, and we saw some great elephants, hippos, ostriches, and crazy birds (it's easy to overlook the birds since the bigger animals are so cool, but they really are some of the most gorgeous, unique birds most people will ever see). Before the drive started, we were greeted (accosted?!) by several Masai people selling all of their gorgeous beaded jewelry...and most of us were unable to contain our excitement for our first opportunity to buy authentic souvenirs. Needless to say, I ended up with many more bracelets and necklaces than anticipated. They'll all find a good home though, I have no doubt.
After the game drive, we were able to visit the Masai village and they gave us an excellent show with traditional dancing to start. We then went into the (very fly infested!) village area and saw how they make fire, learned about their traditional medicines and medical practices, and visited their mud houses. It was really interesting to learn all about the Masai, and, since we were unable to get to Entasopia due to massive flooding, we were all really happy to have this immersion and cultural experience. We ended the visit by seeing the schoolhouse, a tin building with benches inside and adorable children eager to recite their alphabet and numbers in English for us.
After this visit, with our brains and memory cards full (and our wallets a little lighter), we got back on the bus to get to Kibwezi by nighttime. This would be our new home until Wednesday. On that first night, after dinner and settling in to our new place (half of us were in a VERY interesting separate building - imagine juvenile detention center turned into a hotel), we very sleepily listened to a powerpoint lecture about ultrasound. We were briefed on the techniques that we would be helping with and observing in the local hospital for the next few days. Patients would come from far away to be seen and have free ultrasounds performed by the experts who flew in with Dr. Macpherson.
Exhaustion. Today was certainly interesting, humbling, and eye-opening. Oh, and sleep inducing.
Monday, May 28th - In Kibwezi, Bilal and I got up with the 5:30 am morning prayer call and ran on the dirt "track" that the security guard led us to for our first running attempt in a new place. The next days we would venture out more, but this is where we stayed today. It was a great way to wake up, and we enjoyed the fresh air, some local kids cheering us on, and the security guard's big smile and vote of appreciation! Then we all put on our white coats to go to Makindu Hospital, where we'd be stationed for the next 2 and a half days.
We were able to see so much in our small groups. We took turns going on rounds with the doctor on call, reading through charts in wards with nurses, and being trained and working in the ultrasound clinic. Some of the most memorable things I learned about and saw on that first day: an abdominal aneurysm in a woman with hydatid cysts in her liver (unrelated to each other), several fractures and their method of using traction (ropes with bags of rocks to keep the bones separated), degloving and other injuries requiring skin grafts, a woman who had complications from Diabetes mainly because there was no insulin available to her (the pharmacy was out of stock...crazy to think of how frustrating such resource problems must be to doctors and patients), two men in decerebrate (thanks Neuro class for helping me recognize) posturing following stroke, many, many TB patients, and an AWESOME live C-section in the operating theater.
In the afternoon on Monday, some of us then went to do a community project with AMREF and helped the landscaping and progress of a new dispensary being built. Some people painted, and I spent the entire time lined up with local people in a huge line passing red clay bricks from one end to the other. Chanted songs kept the rhythm and kept us motivated. The fact that 2 people over the age of 75 were on either side of me (Alice on my right side was hilarious and tried to set me up with her youngest son WHILE we passed bricks). My two older neighbors had no signs of fatigue the entire time, which obviously, combined with my pride, kept me from stopping when my arms and back started screaming for relief. The blisters that surfaced only 20 minutes after we finished made me feel sheepish for my soft hands, but also appreciate their strength and resilience. Humbling yet again.
Tuesday, May 29th - The second day in Kibwezi Bilal and I ran off the track and went down a long road where lots of school children were walking. It was a beautiful sunrise, and many kids came and ran with us for a few steps, which was so much fun. Bilal and I were definitely wishing we knew more Swahili, but we tried and our attempts and accents were usually met with smiles and lots of laughter.
This day was my group's turn in the ultrasound clinic, and for the first hour or so we just saw several cases of "abdominal discomfort" without too many obvious causes - although the diet high in starch, which is the cheapest and most accessible food, does lead to a lot of chronic constipation, which we learned brings many people in. Unfortunately, the solution to 'eat more vegetables' is not always feasible. We also saw a woman with what looked to be filariasis, but turned out to be silicosis, according to Dr. Macpherson. Definitely interesting. We saw several pregnant women as well, and we learned that the technicians purposefully do not reveal the sex of the child even if they can tell because often times hearing the "wrong" gender will anger patients or husbands and lead to abuse or abortion attempts.
The last things we did before lunch was spend some time with the X-ray technician, who was really quirky and informative and could probably diagnose ever single patient on his own. All the X-rays are developed in an old-fashioned photo lab (think of high school photo class for the smell and ambience). We saw several fractures and a couple cases of TB.
Some Cokes and a late lunch and then we headed out to do another community project for the afternoon. This time, we were in a more remote area with gorgeous, scenery: cornfields, small clusters of huts, mango trees and vegetable gardens, and a huge blue sky with puffy clouds. The main tasks here were weighing children (on huge spring scales - think of the vegetable weighing baskets in the supermarket!), measuring arm circumference and height, passing out Albendazole and Vitamin A, and dancing with the children :) There was also a 'private' building where rice was being passed out to the older citizens so that they could get access to the supplies without having to fight for it from the younger, stronger people.
Dinner, Tuskers, charades, and bed finished day 2 in Kibwezi.
Wednesday, May 30th - Last day in Kibwezi. Best run of the week with even more kids joining us, lots of energy, and some fun attempts to carry the kids' jerry cans for them - so impressive that they run with those full every day in their little arms. On the last day at the hospital I was able to see some Ob/Gyn exams as well as a really intense snake bite on a young child that had to be cleaned out and packed. I also went around the female ward and pediatrics ward again to see what had changed in the patients from the first day. It was nice to have that familiarity about the cases that came with the fact that we had spent 3 consecutive days in one place. Makindu is definitely a very good and improving hospital, and, although it was the same "level" as the one we saw in Nairobi, it had a much better atmosphere.
Back on the bus to start our drive back to Nairobi. Lunch at Hunter's Lodge - it took roughly 1,000 years to get our food - but there was a gigantic (dinosaur size, seriously) pelican and a monkey with very bright blue anatomical parts to keep our attention for at least a little while. The rest of the bus ride to Nairobi was long but we were all pretty tired so it was also appreciated. In addition, our fanciest dinner thus far, at a wonderful Indian place called Haandi's. It was SO GOOD. We all ate our weight in delicious food that night and the prolonged lunch and bus ride were easily forgotten. With our trip to Masai Mara starting the next day, we all relaxed with our full bellies and got excited for the upcoming adventures.
Thursday, May 31st - Driving to Wilson airport for our flights on tiny planes to get to the Masai Mara. I was given a red laminated 'boarding pass' and waited with the blue, black, and yellow groups in the tiny gate area while we watched the small planes take off. I personally love small planes, and the short, 45 minute ride was a lot of fun, and seeing an elephant from a plane is pretty awesome.
We were greeted by Masai drivers and Intrepids safari vehicles to take us immediately on a game drive. Instantly wowed by elephants and insanely gorgeous expanses, they certainly know what they're doing when they arrange the itinerary and sweep you away to the game drive right away. Amazing. The drive was followed up by a delicious buffet of anything you could imagine to eat, and then we were taken to our luxury tent accommodations.
Angela and I shared tent #3, and the porch overlooking the river, the interior decor of dark wood and white linens, the plush bedspread, the amazing sink/shower area took our breath away. We were so excited we couldn't believe how lucky we were to end up in this security hideaway.
Our 3:30pm game drive gave us hippos, lions, gazelles, topi, cape buffalos, guinea fowl, hyenas (the Whitney Houston of lions...b/c a hyena is like a druggie looking lion to me!), gazelles, impalas, ostriches and baboons to stare at and admire from very, very close. An amazing sunset, ton of photos, many thanks to our driver Raphael, and a final buffalo stampede to watch ended the day perfectly. It was hard to imagine how anything could top today's excursion. Dinner with Masai dancers and a short visit to the bonfire (it was cold there!), and off to bed in our super fancy tent. Hot water bottles provided for our comfort...blissful.
Friday, June 1st - An early wake up by Gideon for our 6:30am game drive. Definitely chilly and too early for our liking, but the coffee, hot chocolate and cookies delivered with the "get up now!" made it much more tolerable. I could get used to this treatment. Some yoga on the porch to wake my body up and then I went with Angela and our full thermoses to meet Raphael and the rest of our group to head out. Big blankets were provided (they think of everything), and we saw the elusive black rhino and some giraffes before enjoying a very fancy 'bush breakfast'. Now, I imagined a bush breakfast as a rustic, cook over a kerosine stove/camping style sort of thing. Um, not really. Imagine an all-star buffet with hot food, cereal, fresh fruit and coffee set up in the grass near a river with table clothed tables, chefs in chef hats, and a very fancy bush toilet (= plushest port-o-potty I've ever experienced) set up not to far away for your convenience. Hardly roughing it. Feeling very spoiled!
Drove back to the resort after this to relax and Bilal and I decided to go on a nature walk for the middle of the day. It was just the two of us, a Masai man, Joseph, leading us and George, the man with a gun to protect us. Getting out of the vehicles after we had been so warned not to get out, had seen the lions in person, and had imagined how easy it would be to be devoured by these huge creatures, was SLIGHTLY disconcerting. And George's gun was small. Trust. We must trust them...!
The walk was great though, and I'm so glad we decided to do it. We got some great firsthand information about the local plants, saw a dead vulture in a tree (Joseph said from a jaguar!), walked upon a herd of zebras, and saw numerous gazelles and topi from a close proximity. It was also great to stretch our legs and enjoy the fresh air from a different perspective.
Some random interesting facts I learned: Masai don't eat fish - they are "snakes of the river", but they live off of milk; many runners in Kenya come from the area called El Doret.
On our 3:30 game drive, we had a SECOND rhino sighting (unheard of they said!), and it rained down on us for about 20 minutes, but it was actually a nice change of pace and Raphael valiantly got out among the lions to tie down the sides and keep the rain from coming into the car and soaking us. The Tuskers we had packed took the edge off as well! Some crocodiles and a baby hippo with a fresh bite on him in the river provided more entertainment, and we headed back for dinner and Angela and I enjoyed an amazing massage in the "massage tent" before bed.
Saturday, June 2nd - Today was our last day of the selective, and we started with another early 6:30 am game drive that took us to a new area, where we saw elands and gorgeous, rolling plains. We also saw more elephants as well, which I can't get enough of - they're such crazy looking animals if you really think about it! A huge, final buffet breakfast followed and then some of us decided to do the 10:30 game drive with a new driver, James. I was debating because we had already done so many drives, but all of us who went were given such a treat. We saw a cheetah! The one animal that we all wanted to see so badly but that no one had found yet. This meant that we had seen all of the Big Five, and we even saw this cheetah climb onto the jeeps' roofs and people took pictures from inches away. We patiently waited for awhile because we thought it might go for a kill, but eventually hot sun and grumbling stomachs pushed us to return to the main resort area. That cheetah was definitely the highlight of the Mara for me. What a grand finale.
A nap and lunch and then we boarded the small planes to get back to Nairobi. So hard to leave this exotic place - I hope I can return some day (and get Dr. Macpherson's 'special price' again, obviously!). Back in Nairobi, the group split and we said our goodbyes, and those of us staying in Kenya for a few more days settled in at the Comfort Hotel once again.
For the next few days, Christine, Sheneka, Joycy, and I did some final Nairobi sightseeing, including the National Museum, the Snake Park (chameleons, pythons, crocodiles, you name it), and the Holy Family Minor Basilica. We also spent remaining shillings at another Masai Market place and at Java Coffee House, which had amazing cappuccinos and 70s, 80s, and 90s music to keep us very happy. Finally, we enjoyed a very comfortable and fancy night at the Hilton care of Christine's mom, and took our respective crack-of-dawn flights out of Kenya on Tuesday. For me - on to Addis Ababa to meet Kwazo and continue the adventuring.
Kenya, you were very good to me!
Friday, June 22, 2012
Last day in Addis :( Hard to say bye!!
The final day in Ethiopia...
began with another breathless run, this time solo, and ending at a restaurant perched on a cliff that looked like it came straight from the Jetson's. Unique Cafe set us up with a great breakfast again before we boarded the minibus to the airport for a noon flight. Again, the scenery was really remarkable and I (plus some Dispatch on my iPod) enjoyed the ride, minus a tiny bit of car sickness form the windy roads!
The flight was uneventful, minus our little "layover" in Gondar and the extremely hot cabin that we waited in. We arrived in Addis in one piece and immediately missed the fresh, Lalibela air. However, we were happy to already know where we were staying (Buffet de la Gare), and haggled our way home for 200 birr.
This time we were given room 10, with some crazy zebra sheets and totally gross maroon bedspreads. But it was cheap and really, I'd only be sleeping for about 2 hours anyway, so it wasn't SO bad! Plus, hot water and high pressure showers are really all that matters. I decided to give away lots of my clothes that had already weathered Grenada (and pre-Grenada) as well as Kenya and Ethiopia, and the laundry ladies at the hotel were really excited to get them, which of course made me really exited to give them. With some newfound energy, Kwazo and I went on search for some internet to finalize some plans for our next steps (noooo, we are going to have to say bye soon...!!!) and then Kwaz kindly joined me to search for some earrings for my Mom in a city where there really don't seem to be any jewelry stores that sell real jewelry AND take credit card. It was a long search. Kwaz is a champ.
We ended up at the Hilton, and, the BEST earrings were there that looked just like my Mom's style. However. The price. Was. Insane. The cheapest gold earrings I could find were around $600! AH! Sorry Mom. But I definitely felt success in that I found just the ones I was looking for...maybe the price of gold will drop and I can have them shipped. Yeah right. Well, Mom got a cool, hand painted ornament instead and Kwaz and I got some nice scarves for gifts as well, so the long hike wasn't a waste.
After all that, we were very ready for a cab to take us to dinner to end our night. We had a romantic date night :) at a pizza place (couldn't find any veg injera anywhere for our last meal, so sad!), and then we met up with some of Kwaz's Chemonics friends at a Lebanese place for drinks (granny me had tea!) and they had all the hummus, falafel, etc. It was really fun to be in the world of international development for a few hours, and it is just amazing to think about how little I know of how so much of the infrastructure and groundwork is laid. Med school is certainly a whole other ballgame. I had a great time meeting everyone and hearing some of the crazy travel stories and unique places everyone had lived and worked.
After a late shower in good old Room 10 and a few hours of sleep in that special bed, Kwazo and I said a teary and drowsy goodbye, and I got a 1:30 am cab to the Addis airport where I waited with throngs of veiled women going to Sana'a, Yemen for a few hours before boarding my plane. Again, the perspective and thoughts about how different lives can be and how big the world is were in full effect.
The next 24 hours of flying and waiting in airports and driving in cars to get to Waterbury were pretty much gross as expected, although I did watch many movies and slept a tiny bit. It was 3pm when I landed and about 5:30 by the time I was greeted with a big hug from Mom. It was a wonderful journey, but so glorious to be home again!
Ethiopian adventures - chapter closed.
began with another breathless run, this time solo, and ending at a restaurant perched on a cliff that looked like it came straight from the Jetson's. Unique Cafe set us up with a great breakfast again before we boarded the minibus to the airport for a noon flight. Again, the scenery was really remarkable and I (plus some Dispatch on my iPod) enjoyed the ride, minus a tiny bit of car sickness form the windy roads!
The flight was uneventful, minus our little "layover" in Gondar and the extremely hot cabin that we waited in. We arrived in Addis in one piece and immediately missed the fresh, Lalibela air. However, we were happy to already know where we were staying (Buffet de la Gare), and haggled our way home for 200 birr.
This time we were given room 10, with some crazy zebra sheets and totally gross maroon bedspreads. But it was cheap and really, I'd only be sleeping for about 2 hours anyway, so it wasn't SO bad! Plus, hot water and high pressure showers are really all that matters. I decided to give away lots of my clothes that had already weathered Grenada (and pre-Grenada) as well as Kenya and Ethiopia, and the laundry ladies at the hotel were really excited to get them, which of course made me really exited to give them. With some newfound energy, Kwazo and I went on search for some internet to finalize some plans for our next steps (noooo, we are going to have to say bye soon...!!!) and then Kwaz kindly joined me to search for some earrings for my Mom in a city where there really don't seem to be any jewelry stores that sell real jewelry AND take credit card. It was a long search. Kwaz is a champ.
We ended up at the Hilton, and, the BEST earrings were there that looked just like my Mom's style. However. The price. Was. Insane. The cheapest gold earrings I could find were around $600! AH! Sorry Mom. But I definitely felt success in that I found just the ones I was looking for...maybe the price of gold will drop and I can have them shipped. Yeah right. Well, Mom got a cool, hand painted ornament instead and Kwaz and I got some nice scarves for gifts as well, so the long hike wasn't a waste.
After all that, we were very ready for a cab to take us to dinner to end our night. We had a romantic date night :) at a pizza place (couldn't find any veg injera anywhere for our last meal, so sad!), and then we met up with some of Kwaz's Chemonics friends at a Lebanese place for drinks (granny me had tea!) and they had all the hummus, falafel, etc. It was really fun to be in the world of international development for a few hours, and it is just amazing to think about how little I know of how so much of the infrastructure and groundwork is laid. Med school is certainly a whole other ballgame. I had a great time meeting everyone and hearing some of the crazy travel stories and unique places everyone had lived and worked.
After a late shower in good old Room 10 and a few hours of sleep in that special bed, Kwazo and I said a teary and drowsy goodbye, and I got a 1:30 am cab to the Addis airport where I waited with throngs of veiled women going to Sana'a, Yemen for a few hours before boarding my plane. Again, the perspective and thoughts about how different lives can be and how big the world is were in full effect.
The next 24 hours of flying and waiting in airports and driving in cars to get to Waterbury were pretty much gross as expected, although I did watch many movies and slept a tiny bit. It was 3pm when I landed and about 5:30 by the time I was greeted with a big hug from Mom. It was a wonderful journey, but so glorious to be home again!
Ethiopian adventures - chapter closed.
Day 2 in Lalibela: Northwestern Churches, High altitude running, oh and more flies!
Woke up in our amazing big beds for an early run to try and tackle that altitude "issue" again (or maybe I'm just consoling myself for my loss of aerobic capacity...!). It was worth it for the gorgeous scenery, sweat therapy, and some fun interactions with local people (some more annoying than fun, but we'll go for the positive spin!). After running I did some quick yoga in the hotel room (well, I tried to do it outside in the garden, but way too much attention was elicited!), and then had breakfast at Unique Cafe with Kwaz. Highlight: managed to get some oatmeal today, which was a nice change up from the egg sandwiches (so we had them for lunch later instead!) and definitely the best coffee so far!
Then, we headed out to see the Northwestern group of 6 churches: Bet Medhane Alem, Bet Meskal, Bet Danaghel, Bet Golgotha, Bet Mikael, and the Selassie Chapel. This group of churches was definitely more consolidated than the ones we saw yesterday, and we managed to see them all before lunch, which was much more quickly than we anticipated. The architecture was more similar between the churches in this group, and they were definitely gorgeous, but I think I preferred the group from the previous day with the twisting tunnels and more intricate designs. This group, however, did have more symbolism written up in the Lonely Planet, so we spent a fair amount of time trying to identify various features and understand better what we were looking at.
For the 12-2pm break time, Kwaz and read for a long time at a place called Alif Paradise Hostel and watched dive bombing black flies crash into the window, but at least they weren't flying in our faces! We then climbed the cobblestone hills to find something delicious, and yes, had a great egg sandwich for lunch before hitting up the final must-see, Bet Giorgis. This final church is the famous, cross-shaped one that is in many post cards of ancient Ethiopia. It really is worth the hype, and we both loved this one, possibly best. We were also the only ones visiting it at the time, so it had to be opened just for us, which made it seem even more special. There is a bit of a hike from the main road, down a path, down lots of stairs, and through some passageways to actually get to the bottom of the church. The first view is at the top and it's crazy to imagine how this church was seemingly carved out of the earth rather than built upon it. I am not sure of the geologic history, but I would love to know how it was discovered and the excitement that surely followed.
After St. George's (Bet Giorgis), we battled the flies and thought about reading in one of our favorite, peaceful churches until they'd all close at 5pm. However, we really couldn't stand the flies (imagine us with our scarves covering our entire faces plus sunglasses on and still getting attacked!), so we decided to just trek back up the hills and get to the hotel. It was a good decision - we were pretty spent from all the chaos in the streets and all the walking by the time we got to our room. Our energy pretty depleted, we decided that a St. George's beer (in honor of today's visit!) was in order and spent a good amount of time chatting, journaling, and enjoying some good reflection, which always is in hyper mode for me when traveling. I am really lucky and grateful for the wonderful, understanding friends I have in this life!
We followed the half beers up with some delicious lentil soup at Unique Cafe (sense a theme?!), and awesome homemade bread before some final nighttime reading and early bed. I could get used to this life.
Then, we headed out to see the Northwestern group of 6 churches: Bet Medhane Alem, Bet Meskal, Bet Danaghel, Bet Golgotha, Bet Mikael, and the Selassie Chapel. This group of churches was definitely more consolidated than the ones we saw yesterday, and we managed to see them all before lunch, which was much more quickly than we anticipated. The architecture was more similar between the churches in this group, and they were definitely gorgeous, but I think I preferred the group from the previous day with the twisting tunnels and more intricate designs. This group, however, did have more symbolism written up in the Lonely Planet, so we spent a fair amount of time trying to identify various features and understand better what we were looking at.
For the 12-2pm break time, Kwaz and read for a long time at a place called Alif Paradise Hostel and watched dive bombing black flies crash into the window, but at least they weren't flying in our faces! We then climbed the cobblestone hills to find something delicious, and yes, had a great egg sandwich for lunch before hitting up the final must-see, Bet Giorgis. This final church is the famous, cross-shaped one that is in many post cards of ancient Ethiopia. It really is worth the hype, and we both loved this one, possibly best. We were also the only ones visiting it at the time, so it had to be opened just for us, which made it seem even more special. There is a bit of a hike from the main road, down a path, down lots of stairs, and through some passageways to actually get to the bottom of the church. The first view is at the top and it's crazy to imagine how this church was seemingly carved out of the earth rather than built upon it. I am not sure of the geologic history, but I would love to know how it was discovered and the excitement that surely followed.
After St. George's (Bet Giorgis), we battled the flies and thought about reading in one of our favorite, peaceful churches until they'd all close at 5pm. However, we really couldn't stand the flies (imagine us with our scarves covering our entire faces plus sunglasses on and still getting attacked!), so we decided to just trek back up the hills and get to the hotel. It was a good decision - we were pretty spent from all the chaos in the streets and all the walking by the time we got to our room. Our energy pretty depleted, we decided that a St. George's beer (in honor of today's visit!) was in order and spent a good amount of time chatting, journaling, and enjoying some good reflection, which always is in hyper mode for me when traveling. I am really lucky and grateful for the wonderful, understanding friends I have in this life!
We followed the half beers up with some delicious lentil soup at Unique Cafe (sense a theme?!), and awesome homemade bread before some final nighttime reading and early bed. I could get used to this life.
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Lalibela Day 1
After running into sunrise around 5:30 am, we flew to Lalibela in a small Ethiopian Airlines plane that took us calmly and without any hassle to our final town. It was SUCH a treat to take the plane, and I would highly recommend it to anyone who doesn't have a lot of time to spare (and even if you do, the extra few $$ is definitely worth it).
We then took a minibus through the countryside and hills to get to our new hostel, Ashten House. The ride was very scenic, and I could tell immediately that I was going to love this place. The air felt fresh, the rolling hills were gorgeous, and there were barely any people dotting the landscape.
The hostel was also our favorite right away, with rustic decor, embroidered bedspreads, carved wooden beds, metal light covers with designs in them, and gorgeous gardens. The price was cheaper than Gondar or Bahir Dar too, despite being a tourist destination, and we started off with great spirits.
We walked for awhile to see the area and ended up stopping to get massages (thanks for the treat Mom!) in a small place run by several young, modern Ethiopian girls. The children and men were quite talkative and kept at us the entire time we were walking outside, so the massage place felt like even more of an oasis. The girls let us pick out silver crosses as an added present at the end too - Kwazo and I both felt so great and appreciative for the female bond. Really, women rock.
Relaxed and refreshed, we went to find a late lunch and ended up at a place called Roha cafe, which had great vegetarian injera (I think I should start spelling it correctly at this point!), as well as ginger tea. We then geared up for our first round of the historic, "rock hewn" churches, which is what Lalibela is known for.
There are 2 groups of churches, and we decided to start with the smaller, Southern, group on the first day since they're only open from 6-12pm and then from 2-5pm and it was already 3pm at that point. We saw all four in the group, Bet Rufael-Gabriel, Bet Merkorios, Bet Amanuel, and Bet Abba Libanos. The stone work, tunnels (some VERY dark and spooky!), and peace and quiet were incredible. The cobblestone streets filled with afternoon black flies and talkative children hassling the tourists vanished once you stepped into the church sanctuaries. The priests inside were either silent, reading, or chanting, and we walked around each church to see the various paintings and stone carvings. We decided not to pay for a guide because we had our Lonely Planet descriptions, and we were happy with our choice. It was nice not to feel attached to anyone or anything and to just take in what we could and enjoy the experience. Plus, the descriptions in the book were pretty thorough!
We stayed until closing and then head home, chatting to all the people who approached us along the way. It was definitely fun at times, but also exhausting, and we ended up telling some kids we were French to entertain ourselves. Of course, they knew some french, and that provided some new amusement :) We got caught in our lie later, ("Why did you change your country?") but it was totally worth it.
A quick internet stop (very pricey so just the bare minimum check-ins to say we were alive and well), and then we went to a place from our guidebook called Unique Restaurant, which was SO delicious. The woman who runs it is adorable and there is a special guest book where everyone writes about their experiences there. Our vegetable soup, fasting food, and beers were so amazing that we instantly knew we'd probably eat several of our meals there (and happily).
It was a great first day in Lalibela, and we went to bed early with happy bellies, massaged backs, and images of impressive, ancient architecture.
We then took a minibus through the countryside and hills to get to our new hostel, Ashten House. The ride was very scenic, and I could tell immediately that I was going to love this place. The air felt fresh, the rolling hills were gorgeous, and there were barely any people dotting the landscape.
The hostel was also our favorite right away, with rustic decor, embroidered bedspreads, carved wooden beds, metal light covers with designs in them, and gorgeous gardens. The price was cheaper than Gondar or Bahir Dar too, despite being a tourist destination, and we started off with great spirits.
We walked for awhile to see the area and ended up stopping to get massages (thanks for the treat Mom!) in a small place run by several young, modern Ethiopian girls. The children and men were quite talkative and kept at us the entire time we were walking outside, so the massage place felt like even more of an oasis. The girls let us pick out silver crosses as an added present at the end too - Kwazo and I both felt so great and appreciative for the female bond. Really, women rock.
Relaxed and refreshed, we went to find a late lunch and ended up at a place called Roha cafe, which had great vegetarian injera (I think I should start spelling it correctly at this point!), as well as ginger tea. We then geared up for our first round of the historic, "rock hewn" churches, which is what Lalibela is known for.
There are 2 groups of churches, and we decided to start with the smaller, Southern, group on the first day since they're only open from 6-12pm and then from 2-5pm and it was already 3pm at that point. We saw all four in the group, Bet Rufael-Gabriel, Bet Merkorios, Bet Amanuel, and Bet Abba Libanos. The stone work, tunnels (some VERY dark and spooky!), and peace and quiet were incredible. The cobblestone streets filled with afternoon black flies and talkative children hassling the tourists vanished once you stepped into the church sanctuaries. The priests inside were either silent, reading, or chanting, and we walked around each church to see the various paintings and stone carvings. We decided not to pay for a guide because we had our Lonely Planet descriptions, and we were happy with our choice. It was nice not to feel attached to anyone or anything and to just take in what we could and enjoy the experience. Plus, the descriptions in the book were pretty thorough!
We stayed until closing and then head home, chatting to all the people who approached us along the way. It was definitely fun at times, but also exhausting, and we ended up telling some kids we were French to entertain ourselves. Of course, they knew some french, and that provided some new amusement :) We got caught in our lie later, ("Why did you change your country?") but it was totally worth it.
A quick internet stop (very pricey so just the bare minimum check-ins to say we were alive and well), and then we went to a place from our guidebook called Unique Restaurant, which was SO delicious. The woman who runs it is adorable and there is a special guest book where everyone writes about their experiences there. Our vegetable soup, fasting food, and beers were so amazing that we instantly knew we'd probably eat several of our meals there (and happily).
It was a great first day in Lalibela, and we went to bed early with happy bellies, massaged backs, and images of impressive, ancient architecture.
Monday, June 18, 2012
Bahir Dar --> Gondar
Yes, it's been awhile since I've updated due to a combo of bad internet options in Ethiopia, inertia of not writing, and trying to live in the moment (maybe trying to put a good spin on my procrastination? But I think it's also valid!).
I am now back in DC for the weekend after a whirlwind return from Ethiopia, one day at home to unpack, do laundry, bake for Mom (and for sanity!), and take very long hot showers, and then a quick flight to attend Rose's bachelorette weekend and some quality catch up with good friends here. Flying home tonight and excited for the next two weeks of sleep, decompressing, seeing family, healthy food and maybe some 'studying' to prep for the Grenada return.
Alright, so where was I?
We had just left Bahir Dar, and took a 2ish hour minibus up to Gondar. That was a VERY squished, sweaty, "just listen to music and don't think about it" kind of ride. But, we made it in one piece. Spent our first day seeing the main attraction of Fasilides castle and then took a tuk tuk for 100 birr to the bath. The castle was really beautiful and also the grounds were really nice and secluded from the chaos and people taking interest in all the farenjis outside the gates. Kwazo and I took lots of pictures and when we read that many people have weddings there, we could easily understand the appeal. It's a really beautiful place.
After seeing both the castle and the baths, we returned to our new hostel, called Genetics House :) (shout out to med school), and settled down for a little bit. I soon found myself on an excursion with a young boys' soccer team to find them a new soccer ball because theirs had apparently popped. Do I think that this wasn't a scam? No. Do I think I grossly overpaid for this ball? Yes. Did I have a great time spending an hour wandering with these kids (who had great English skills by the way!), talking about their school/sports interests and thrilling them with the purchase? Absolutely. 300 birr for the 'fancy leather ball' well spent in my opinion.
Post-soccer ball excursion, Kwazo and I joined our new best friend, Dawit, to find authentic honey wine, called tej. We ended up in a private house with an older woman who made the wine, 2 younger women, and some great kids, a cat and a chicken. The wine was very strong and served in glasses, which reminded me of organic chemistry flasks, and I only made a dent in my serving, but Dawit (who would be our guide for a trek the next day) certainly had no trouble drinking all of his and helping us with ours. We also enjoyed some great enjeera with shiro--well I think that's what it was--and something like cooked barley or chickpeas that was a great treat. Again, we ended up shelling out more cash than expected or previously explained, but that seemed to be the theme of Gondar and so I tried to embrace it as much as possible. The experience was definitely unique and memorable, and it was much more interesting than simply ordering tej at a restaurant without any context or the fun of sitting in that family's livingroom for a few hours. Plus, Tom and Jerry was playing on the TV. Bonus.
The day after the tej night was a 2 hour drive to go for an arranged hike with Dawit and a 'scout' to tell us about the nature and animals (saw so many baboons - the babies were so cute!). Kwazo and I were led on what I think was a very impromptu route for the next few hours by these two guys who were probably 20-23 and got a kick out of our matching outfits (unplanned) and energy about getting dirty and climbing on things. The scenery was gorgeous, and it felt great to finally be out in fresh air and immersed in nature, which is where I am re-learning that I just love to be more than most other environments (read: hectic cities). I loved the adventure and the fact that I had no idea of what would come next, but also the peace and quiet, huge sky, view of the Simien Mountains, and the interesting, unique trees and plants that dotted the land. Again, many photos were snapped! Egg sandwiches and bananas at the 'summit' of sorts, and we were feeling calmer, and a worn out energy that we love so much. A good Sunday start! Rain came later which made us happy to be home from the hike earlier than expected, and Kwazo led me through her yoga routine in our hotel room. Sidenote: her routine/moves are straight from Nepal, so clearly that made me feel more legitimate.
We then went on a serious search for vegetarian enjeera that was much harder than anticipated (maybe eating vegetarian food isn't big on Sundays?!), but which ended successfully at the place we had eaten the previous day and it was very delicious, especially due to our very hungry bellies at that point! St. George's beers helped us curb the angst as well. Definitely better than the Dashen beers in our opinions! After a little internet and more exploration walking, we headed back to rest to prepare for our very early start before our flight (YES FLIGHT NOT BUS!) to Lalibela scheduled for the next day.
Next post: Lalibela- my favorite place!
I am now back in DC for the weekend after a whirlwind return from Ethiopia, one day at home to unpack, do laundry, bake for Mom (and for sanity!), and take very long hot showers, and then a quick flight to attend Rose's bachelorette weekend and some quality catch up with good friends here. Flying home tonight and excited for the next two weeks of sleep, decompressing, seeing family, healthy food and maybe some 'studying' to prep for the Grenada return.
Alright, so where was I?
We had just left Bahir Dar, and took a 2ish hour minibus up to Gondar. That was a VERY squished, sweaty, "just listen to music and don't think about it" kind of ride. But, we made it in one piece. Spent our first day seeing the main attraction of Fasilides castle and then took a tuk tuk for 100 birr to the bath. The castle was really beautiful and also the grounds were really nice and secluded from the chaos and people taking interest in all the farenjis outside the gates. Kwazo and I took lots of pictures and when we read that many people have weddings there, we could easily understand the appeal. It's a really beautiful place.
After seeing both the castle and the baths, we returned to our new hostel, called Genetics House :) (shout out to med school), and settled down for a little bit. I soon found myself on an excursion with a young boys' soccer team to find them a new soccer ball because theirs had apparently popped. Do I think that this wasn't a scam? No. Do I think I grossly overpaid for this ball? Yes. Did I have a great time spending an hour wandering with these kids (who had great English skills by the way!), talking about their school/sports interests and thrilling them with the purchase? Absolutely. 300 birr for the 'fancy leather ball' well spent in my opinion.
Post-soccer ball excursion, Kwazo and I joined our new best friend, Dawit, to find authentic honey wine, called tej. We ended up in a private house with an older woman who made the wine, 2 younger women, and some great kids, a cat and a chicken. The wine was very strong and served in glasses, which reminded me of organic chemistry flasks, and I only made a dent in my serving, but Dawit (who would be our guide for a trek the next day) certainly had no trouble drinking all of his and helping us with ours. We also enjoyed some great enjeera with shiro--well I think that's what it was--and something like cooked barley or chickpeas that was a great treat. Again, we ended up shelling out more cash than expected or previously explained, but that seemed to be the theme of Gondar and so I tried to embrace it as much as possible. The experience was definitely unique and memorable, and it was much more interesting than simply ordering tej at a restaurant without any context or the fun of sitting in that family's livingroom for a few hours. Plus, Tom and Jerry was playing on the TV. Bonus.
The day after the tej night was a 2 hour drive to go for an arranged hike with Dawit and a 'scout' to tell us about the nature and animals (saw so many baboons - the babies were so cute!). Kwazo and I were led on what I think was a very impromptu route for the next few hours by these two guys who were probably 20-23 and got a kick out of our matching outfits (unplanned) and energy about getting dirty and climbing on things. The scenery was gorgeous, and it felt great to finally be out in fresh air and immersed in nature, which is where I am re-learning that I just love to be more than most other environments (read: hectic cities). I loved the adventure and the fact that I had no idea of what would come next, but also the peace and quiet, huge sky, view of the Simien Mountains, and the interesting, unique trees and plants that dotted the land. Again, many photos were snapped! Egg sandwiches and bananas at the 'summit' of sorts, and we were feeling calmer, and a worn out energy that we love so much. A good Sunday start! Rain came later which made us happy to be home from the hike earlier than expected, and Kwazo led me through her yoga routine in our hotel room. Sidenote: her routine/moves are straight from Nepal, so clearly that made me feel more legitimate.
We then went on a serious search for vegetarian enjeera that was much harder than anticipated (maybe eating vegetarian food isn't big on Sundays?!), but which ended successfully at the place we had eaten the previous day and it was very delicious, especially due to our very hungry bellies at that point! St. George's beers helped us curb the angst as well. Definitely better than the Dashen beers in our opinions! After a little internet and more exploration walking, we headed back to rest to prepare for our very early start before our flight (YES FLIGHT NOT BUS!) to Lalibela scheduled for the next day.
Next post: Lalibela- my favorite place!
Friday, June 8, 2012
Bahir Dar: Island monasteries on Lake Tana
After a long bus ride and rainy bike ride tour yesterday and a good sleep in our new hotel in Bahir Dar, today day began at 6am prayer call with a much needed scenic run on the shore of Lake Tana. The peaceful lack of traffic and views of the water were a wonderful contrast to hectic Addis. I ran halfway and then stopped for a short yoga routine (very very short, I am still not much of a yoga master!) where I had a great view of the lake and could hear nothing but the morning chanting. Running back to meet up with Kwazo, my head finally started to feel clearer and my legs not so angry with me for cramming them into a tiny bus seat for almost 10 hours the day before. Highs and Lows.
Kwazo and I enjoyed a delicious (included!) breakfast on big victorian style (?!) couches in what looks like a parlor room to me in our hotel. Eggs, toast, and tea are much better than the biscuits we had on the bus the previous day (although those were a nice treat too considering we didn't think we'd get anything on the bus at all). After eating, we met our rasta tour guide to take us to the boat for our island monastery tour.
On Lake Tana, which is fairly large, I first noticed the lush green plants on the shore, the locals in homemade kayaks piled with branches, and pelicans all over. Then the boat revved up (well puttered maybe more like it) and the journey to the first monastery began. On a small island surrounded by monks in various shades of brown and yellow, we paid 100 birr, climbed a narrow windy stony staircase and had a brief "museum" visit, with a female monk who described everything in a low, sing-song voice (thank goodness we had four others in our group to translate for us!). I then put my new scarf on my head, took off our shoes, and wandered around the yellow monastary at the top of the hill and looked at the paintings of religious scenes inside. Very beautiful.
Back on the boat, we headed to a second monastery, Kebran Gabriel, which is from the 17th century. Sadly, no women allowed. So, the men in our group climbed a hill while the rest of us sat on benches in the shade to wait amongst the monks who were busy with a construction project. I wandered to a rock pier and took some photos of the scenes and monks washing clothes in the lake, and then headed back to join the others for a banana break. Bananas never fail to make me happy. We were ready to move on by the time the two men returned though!
The third monastery, Ura Kidane Meret, was the largest and most famous, and probably my favorite. After getting out of the boat, we walked almost 25 minutes over rocks and among trees and through many strategically placed "gift" stalls displaying silver crosses from all the different parts of the region (each area has its own design), coffee beans, silver bracelets, iconic paintings, leather items, you name it. I made it through with only a few purchases :) and the temple made of sticks? bamboo? was definitely a sight. Totally calming once you set foot inside, the lighting and shadows cast on the huge murals was really beautiful. There are curtains pulled to the side that add another element of artwork and different lines to the scene I took many pictures!
After leaving, we wound our way back to the boat, and enjoyed a traditional coffee ceremony with some of the most adorable kids playing around as their mom (?!) prepared the drinks. Then, we tasted some homemade honey (I was so sure the bees would get me!), and I successfully avoided making any more purchases before boarding our little boat.
The last monastery was also beautiful and very similar to the third but with a grass roof. I did not go in this one as our money was running low, but I did walk around the outside and a very nice and again adorable (sorry, but they're all so cute) Ethiopian boy led me both to see it as well as the school where the monks learn the language of the Ethiopian Orthodox Bible, which is called Geez (pronounced: Ge Iz). It was really interesting to see the little huts where they live and study and beautiful to hear their chanting.
We took the boat back for a veryyyy slow 1hr. return trip to the starting point (we had our doubts that it would make it on that puttering engine!), and enjoyed a very delayed lunch that our stomachs were much appreciative for. Kwazo had a huge vegetarian wheel of colors atop enjeera and I had fish (still not so daring in the vegetable department!). We rushed back to prepare for our Blue Nile Waterfall trip, only to find out that the waterfall was "not on". As in, no water...um, great. It's supposed to be quite a sight (think a baby Niagara Falls), so we were pretty upset that we'd be unable to do the hike to see them, but we rallied and went for a walk to find some CDs of the music we've been enjoying here for the past few days. Kwazo scored Teddy Afro and Astar CDs and then we tasted our first Ethiopian beers, called Dashen, which are brewed in Gondar (our next stop tomorrow!). A light dinner and we are back "home" now relaxing before we go via minibus to Gondar (Lonely Planet calls it the Camelot of Africa!) in the morning. There, we plan to see castle of Emperor Fasiladas from the 17th century, and set up a trek into the Simien Mountains for Sunday, which I am very excited for! Alright, off to try and finally finish my book and get some sleep. I'll try to tone down the amount of exclamation points and parentheses for next time...! (oops).
Kwazo and I enjoyed a delicious (included!) breakfast on big victorian style (?!) couches in what looks like a parlor room to me in our hotel. Eggs, toast, and tea are much better than the biscuits we had on the bus the previous day (although those were a nice treat too considering we didn't think we'd get anything on the bus at all). After eating, we met our rasta tour guide to take us to the boat for our island monastery tour.
On Lake Tana, which is fairly large, I first noticed the lush green plants on the shore, the locals in homemade kayaks piled with branches, and pelicans all over. Then the boat revved up (well puttered maybe more like it) and the journey to the first monastery began. On a small island surrounded by monks in various shades of brown and yellow, we paid 100 birr, climbed a narrow windy stony staircase and had a brief "museum" visit, with a female monk who described everything in a low, sing-song voice (thank goodness we had four others in our group to translate for us!). I then put my new scarf on my head, took off our shoes, and wandered around the yellow monastary at the top of the hill and looked at the paintings of religious scenes inside. Very beautiful.
Back on the boat, we headed to a second monastery, Kebran Gabriel, which is from the 17th century. Sadly, no women allowed. So, the men in our group climbed a hill while the rest of us sat on benches in the shade to wait amongst the monks who were busy with a construction project. I wandered to a rock pier and took some photos of the scenes and monks washing clothes in the lake, and then headed back to join the others for a banana break. Bananas never fail to make me happy. We were ready to move on by the time the two men returned though!
The third monastery, Ura Kidane Meret, was the largest and most famous, and probably my favorite. After getting out of the boat, we walked almost 25 minutes over rocks and among trees and through many strategically placed "gift" stalls displaying silver crosses from all the different parts of the region (each area has its own design), coffee beans, silver bracelets, iconic paintings, leather items, you name it. I made it through with only a few purchases :) and the temple made of sticks? bamboo? was definitely a sight. Totally calming once you set foot inside, the lighting and shadows cast on the huge murals was really beautiful. There are curtains pulled to the side that add another element of artwork and different lines to the scene I took many pictures!
After leaving, we wound our way back to the boat, and enjoyed a traditional coffee ceremony with some of the most adorable kids playing around as their mom (?!) prepared the drinks. Then, we tasted some homemade honey (I was so sure the bees would get me!), and I successfully avoided making any more purchases before boarding our little boat.
The last monastery was also beautiful and very similar to the third but with a grass roof. I did not go in this one as our money was running low, but I did walk around the outside and a very nice and again adorable (sorry, but they're all so cute) Ethiopian boy led me both to see it as well as the school where the monks learn the language of the Ethiopian Orthodox Bible, which is called Geez (pronounced: Ge Iz). It was really interesting to see the little huts where they live and study and beautiful to hear their chanting.
We took the boat back for a veryyyy slow 1hr. return trip to the starting point (we had our doubts that it would make it on that puttering engine!), and enjoyed a very delayed lunch that our stomachs were much appreciative for. Kwazo had a huge vegetarian wheel of colors atop enjeera and I had fish (still not so daring in the vegetable department!). We rushed back to prepare for our Blue Nile Waterfall trip, only to find out that the waterfall was "not on". As in, no water...um, great. It's supposed to be quite a sight (think a baby Niagara Falls), so we were pretty upset that we'd be unable to do the hike to see them, but we rallied and went for a walk to find some CDs of the music we've been enjoying here for the past few days. Kwazo scored Teddy Afro and Astar CDs and then we tasted our first Ethiopian beers, called Dashen, which are brewed in Gondar (our next stop tomorrow!). A light dinner and we are back "home" now relaxing before we go via minibus to Gondar (Lonely Planet calls it the Camelot of Africa!) in the morning. There, we plan to see castle of Emperor Fasiladas from the 17th century, and set up a trek into the Simien Mountains for Sunday, which I am very excited for! Alright, off to try and finally finish my book and get some sleep. I'll try to tone down the amount of exclamation points and parentheses for next time...! (oops).
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Addis day 2.
We woke up at 7am after almost 11 hours of sleep. Glorious. We were both so happy.
Then, Kwazo and I set out for Meskal Square to run with the best of the best Ethiopian elite (well Lonely Planet put it that way). We were a little bit later than the suggested 5am arrival time, but we still felt pretty cool and there were some other fast runners (so let's pretend their famous). It felt great to shake out the legs and move and get some words of encouragement (well I hope that's what they were shouting at us) to start off our day.
After the run, we grabbed bananas, and figured out how to get hot water (such a mood booster). Then, we found the cleanest clothes available :) and got ready for round two of this city, which is pretty complicated and we have decided is full of many highs and lows. I.e. from this morning high = awesome run with locals and hot water shower, low = spending hours and getting 1,000 opinions about how to take a bus tomorrow morning to Bahir Dar, where we will start our Northern region exploring. Patience. Flexibility. Laughing. We'll be alright.
Finally got the bus thing figured out, and jumped in a taxi (they're all royal blue and white and adorable), to try and get to the Ethnological Museum where Haile Selaisse's palace was. Explaining this to the cab driver = NOT successful. A long while later with many confused conversations, we made it! We had a really fun breakfast/lunch first though, where our total inability to converse got us some delicious egg sandwiches, my first spiced tea and Kwazo's second delicious coffee (with milk! many attempts required to make the milk part happen...). The museum had a lot of interesting cultural items, and reading about the Italian Occupation and government shifts here was interesting. Kwazo is definitely better at internalizing the historical information, and I'm trying my best, although I definitely got most excited about the traditional medicine section in the museum - did you know tamarind could be used for upset stomachs AND malaria AND hemorrhoids? And that coffee began in the region of Ethiopia called Kaffe? Now you do.
Finally, we are back at an internet cafe so that Kwaz can do some registering for school and I can catch up with some much needed reflection and writing. The Kenya descriptions are in progress, but I don't want the order to be weird, so I'm saving it in draft form til the end.
For our afternoon, we are planning to see the original skeleton of Lucy in the National Museum. Lucy, one of if not the, earliest hominins was discovered in 1974 here in Ethiopia and her structure provides evidence that bipedalism preceded increase in brain size in human evolution. Should be cool! Then, we are going to Holy Trinity Cathedral and hopefully to a good dinner with a friend of Kwazo's before a good restful night before our very early departure again tomorrow. Despite these current plans, I would be shocked if they didn't totally change on us, as that seems to be the theme :) Ethiopia what is next?
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Made it to Ethiopia in one (sleep deprived) piece.
I will write about the daily adventures and experiences in Kenya, I promise. But for now I am just going to continue with the present so I don't get further behind...
After a 1am Nairobi departure and farewell to Christine and Sheneka (who were headed for a day visit to Istanbul), a cup of airport hot chocolate purchased with my final shillings, and a short 2 hour flight, I arrived in a stupor to Addis Ababa around 5am this morning. Got my 20 dollar tourist visa and picked up my bag with little hassle. Then, fell asleep with my handy Virgin Atlantic eye mask in the dim airport baggage claim area only to wake up about a half an hour later to Kwazo yelling, "Handu!". Success!
So, the post-year-one of med school summer adventure continues.
A quick money exchange and 250 birr (1 USD is about 17 birr) took us to your Buffet de la Gare hole in the wall accommodation, but we were so happy to drop our big bags that we were just glad the place Lonely Planet led us to actually existed. Eyes half shut, but happy for our East African Handu/Kwazo reunion, we set off to find coffee (which turned out to be a huge glass of milk with a small side glass of espresso and very delicious), and some food. We decided on the egg burgers. Next time we'll make sure to keep the meat out, but it was good anyway. The language barrier is more intense than we'd imagined, but we will start looking up some key phrases when we have a little more energy! Today our plan is to get our bearings, make an itinerary for the rest of this trip, and see at least one of the museums or sights here in Addis Ababa. Tomorrow we'll probably explore here more, and then we'll probably head north.
Let me close with some first impressions and comments from Ethiopia - the taxis here all have fake fur in them, dashboard and behind the back window, in every color and "animal" you could imagine. The childrens sneakers seem to all be in varying shades of neon. And the people are beautiful. The language barrier is definitely present. There are very few street signs, so maps have limited utility. The coffee is wonderful. Arriving to a planned destination, not to mention seeing a wonderful old friend for the first time in a year and a half, is always such a relief and adrenaline rush no matter how tired you are.
Saturday, June 2, 2012
Cheetah climbing on a car, annnd, the selective is over.
Today was the final day of our safaris in the Masai Mara and we flew back to Nairobi at 4pm. We saw so many animals in the last few days, but today's cheetah sighting was definitely the ultimate finale. It climbed onto the land rovers and posed for photos! Insane.
Everyone from our group has begun to disburse now for their respective next legs or trips home, and I am settling in for 2 days here in Nairobi before I fly out to meet up with Kwazo (Kathleen) in Addis Ababa for our next adventure and reunion of sorts. I am with two friends, and we plan to have a relaxing day tomorrow and then one final Nairobi excursion on Monday - details to be determined.
I have so much to write and catch up on, I don't even know where to begin. It has certainly been a wonderful (understatement to the max) experience overall here in Kenya, and I am excited to dive into my mini notebook of anecdotes and do some legitimate writing and reflecting here on the blog. I am just a little too tired now to do it any justice, but more updates are coming (and in order from the beginning), I promise. I am tired and full of thoughts and wonderings per usual when I am in transition modes (like at the moment), but I am looking forward to a good early run, mass in Swahili, and then some better digested ideas flowing onto the page. Good night for now.
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